Sewing-machine needle



(No Model.)

N. H. PIPPARD. SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE- No. 497,926. Patented May 23, 1893-.

a c JZ'% 1? J n WITNESSESM V INVENTOR ATTORNEY UNITED; STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NINA H. PIFFARD, OF PIFFARD, NEWV YORK.

SEWING-MACHINE NEEDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 497,926, dated May 23, 1893.

Application filed February 2, 1898. Serial No. 460,740. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NINA H. PIFFARD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Piffard, in the county of Livingston and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Needle, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to sewing machine needles provided with a slot through which the thread may be introduced laterally into the eye.

The objects of my invention are first to avoid the difliculty ensuing from the liability of the edges of the slot to catch upon the threads of the fabric, as is the case in these forms of self-threading sewing machine needles heretofore proposed, and secondly, to prevent the accidental unthreading of the needle by the thread receding through the slot when the machine is in operation.

My invention consists essentially in provid ing the needle with a lateral bend, deflection or incurvation transverse to its longitudinal axis at the point where the eye is located and forming the slot or notch for introduction of the thread laterally into said eye, at the inside of the bend.

My invention consists further of a sewing machine needle having two bends or angles in its longitudinal axis, one at the eye into which a lateral slot opens from the inside of the angle and the other a reverse angle or bend at a higher point so as to bring the point of the needle back directly in line with the head.

In the accompanying drawingsz-Figure 1, is a view of a needle embodying my invention, taken from one side thereof. Fig. 2, is an elevation taken on the side where the slot is formed, and shows the inclination given to the line of the slot for the purpose of preventing accidental unthreading. Fig. 3, is a view of the needle taken from the side opposite Fig. 1. Fig. 4, shows the needle with a single bend to produce the deflection or incurvation which is efiective in masking the slot and preventing the cutting of the cloth.

In order tobetter illustrate the invention, the angle of the bends or deflections is shown somewhat exaggerated. In practice a very slight lateral bend or deflection will be found elfective.

The needle shown is the ordinary needle provided with a proper shank adapted to fit the needle bar of a sewing machine. Near the point and opposite the eye, there is a lateral bend or deflection indicated at A, and on the side of the needle farthest from the operator that is the side opposite that toward which the fabric is fed. At the opposite side or side against or toward which the material is fed is formed a notch 13, through which the thread may be introduced laterally. By pro viding this bend or deflection and locating the slot on the inside of the bend as shown, the edges of the slot will be effectually masked so that they will not catch the threads of the cloth or cut the fabric, either in the upward or downward movement of the needle therein. The line of the slot might be at direct right angles to the general longitudinal axis of the needle, but I prefer to give it a considerable inclination as shown in Fig. 2, of the drawings, whereby after the thread has been once introduced into the eye, it may not readily escape through the slot. This lateral bend or incurvation might be of any desired form or shape and made in any desired manner. A convenient way is to bend the point of the needle at a given angle as indicated in Fig. 4, or in a direction which would be toward the operator of the needle when in the machine. If the needle were left in this shape it is obvious that the point would be out of line with the head to obviate which and return the point to a direct line with the center of the head, the needle may be given an opposite bend or angle at any point above the first as, for instance, at a point C, immediately above the eye thus completing the form of needle shown in Fig. 1.

In making needles according to my invention ordinary sewing machine needles may be taken, then temper-drawn and the bends or angles described may be thus produced in them. The slot may be made either before or after the bending. Afterward the needle is retempered. Or, as will be obvious, the proper conformation may be given and the slotting done during the original manufacturing of the needle.

I do not limit myself to any particularform of bend, angle or incurvation in the general longitudinal axis of the needle at the eye for the purpose of providing the recess or depression in which the slot may be located, nor to any particular way of making such incurvation. I prefer, however, to make it as hereinbefore described by bending or deflecting the point to one side, as indicated in Fig. 4, and providing an opposite bend or angle to restore the point to direct line with the head.

I am aware that it has been before proposed to slot sewing machine needles at the eye but heretofore the slot has been made in a straight needle and the edges are, therefore, not effectually masked but are liable to catch on the fabric. I am also aware that it has been before proposed to close the slot by a spring tongue, but this plan as heretofore proposed is also liable to objection because the end of the tongue is located below the straight part of the needle in the tapering or wedge portion thereof and is therefore liable to enter the cloth.

. What I claim as my invention is 1. A sewing machine needle havingabend at its eye and a lateral notch or slot entering the eye at the inside of the bend.

2. A sewing machine needle having two bends in its longitudinal axis, one at the eye into which a slot opens from the inside of the bend or angle and the other a reverse bend at a higher point adapted to bring the point of the needle directly in line with the head.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 1st day of February, A. D. 1893.

NINA H. PIFFARD.

Witnesses:

WM. H. OAPEL, THos. F. CONREY. 

